Ties of Blood and Honor: Part IX

Blackthorn and Lady Xan moved through the crowd towards Tav's tent. They were almost there when young Stephen, who had been keeping himself busy by putting Tav's twin swords away, looked up and saw them approaching. He held up a hand, eyes pleading with his mother to let him deal with this. Then he turned and to enter the tent and see why Tav had not come forth to answer the trumpets.

He never even made it through the tent flap. Ian frowned as Tav nearly bowled the boy over as he came out on the field. Stephen handed the Squire his staff and then stepped away as Tav started across to meet Pinet once again. Ian's eyes narrowed watching that progress; something was different about Tav's bearing. He seemed stronger, his steps sure. When the signal to begin the combat was given, even though Pinet took a strong defensive stance, Squire's staff lashed out lightning quick with no warning and rammed into first his opponent's throat and then nose.

Ian grinned. He looked over at Timmons, and with a calm voice, gave the order for the Camelot men to be ready. He and Timmons began to drift closer towards Stephen while Gryff kept close to Robert. Xan was already headed in the direction of Brakis. By now, the crowd noise was falling as the onlookers were stunned by this change in Pinet's fortunes and a short time later Ian could clearly hear the blow that shattered the Baron's leg and his cry of pain after. He turned to watch the rest of the match, and so saw the blow that next crushed the right hand, then the look on Pinet's face as he saw who he now faced.

"BLACKHAWKE!" Pinet's voice was a mixture of despair and fear.

"Bloody well right, you fool." Ian murmured as he started once more towards where he'd last seen young Stephen. "May your family forgive you for the ruin you have brought upon them, the same ruin you would have seen befall milord Hawke's." Then he cursed as all hell broke loose on the field and he lost sight of Blackhawke's son. As he rushed towards the tent, the sound of two gryphons attacking Brakis and his men drowned out his voice as he called for the boy. He could see Timmons off a short distance to the right, and the two fought their way through the crowd.

Then suddenly the way was clear, and Ian had a clear view of Stephan as the boy lifted a loaded crossbow, and aimed across the field, and let fly. The half-elf turned to watch the flight of the bolt as it sped through the air and caught Brakis in the heart. Finally, an end to that menace!

Stephen had been knocked on his back by the recoil and it looked like he would have a black eye. As Ian walked up, Timmons helped the boy sit up. "Well shot, Master Stephen! Next time, set your feet a bit wider and you'll stay afoot, but well shot indeed."

"Did I get him?"

"Aye, lad, you got him." Timmons pointed at a figure walking back towards them. "And here comes your Da."

Ian grinned, and as Lord Blackhawke strode into the tent of his Squire, the Black Watch of Camelot kneeled as one to their liege.

**********

"Ian?"

"Hmmm? Yes, love?"

Alone, in their bedchamber, Ian and Skye lay watching daylight creep through their window. He'd been back from Riga a few hours now and already Camelot was settling back into normalcy of a sort. They'd hardly slept all night, what with first celebrating his safe return in each other's arms and then exchanging the events of the past week in Riga and here. Skye smiled as Ian told of the reunion of Xan and Hawke in the middle of the tournament field, then Ian listened intently as she voiced her worry over the sword Shane had been given by Evaynan. By that time most of the night was gone, so Skye had laid her head across his chest while he gently stroked her hair. Now she sat up and looked down at her husband.

"Why haven't we gone after the girls? Why haven't you ever been able to find the time to fetch them home?"

He shook his head. "I don't have any answers. It seems every time I start the search, some new crisis arises, and I have to put it on hold. That Welshman, Merry, was my best chance, and I lost track of him when Talor attacked."

"Exactly! Ian, did it ever occur to you that all that is just too damn coincidental that happens every time?"

Now he sat up to stare at her. "What are you driving at, that someone is keeping us from bringing those girls home?"

Skye didn't answer right away; she sat and watched as realization and then anger played across his face. "Her. It's Her doing!"

"Yes, I think so, love. But why, or to what end, I have no idea."

Ian nodded. He took Skye back into his arms. "Neither do I...
But we're damn well going to find out."